Best Tactical Backpacks (According to US Military Veterans) in 2023

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The tactical backpack community is interesting. We get the folks who use them for military, law enforcement, or first responder purposes, where they’re appropriate tools for the job. But we’re also curious about the people who get them for show — especially in the concealed carry crowd — because the morphology of many tactical backpacks is so obviously military and the whole point of carrying a weapon in public is to do so without anyone knowing you are doing so. Of the gear reviewers here at Task & Purpose who carry concealed, we sure as hell don’t do it wearing 5.11 cargo pants and a concealed carry vest while wearing an obviously tactical backpack. That’s just bad planning.

Yet tactical backpacks have their place — typically on the backs of soldiers and infantry Marines, in the squad car trunks of S.W.A.T. members, and in the basements of apocalyptic preppers. To that end, our trusty team of gear reviewers took a look at the range of tactical backpacks on the market to help you decide which are the best for your needs. What did we learn through our hands-on testing? Read on to find out.

Best Overall: 5.11 Tactical RUSH 24 2.0
Best Value: Samurai Tactical Wakizashi
Editor’s Choice: 5.11 Tactical COVRT18 2.0
Best Compact: 5.11 Tactical RUSH 12 2.0
Best Urban: Velomacchi 35L Giro
Best Range Bag: GPS Tactical Range Backpack
Most Mysterious: Mystery Ranch 2 Day Assault Pack
Honorable Mention: Direct Action Dragon Egg MK II Backpack

Best Overall

5.11 Tactical RUSH 24 2.0

Pros

Superb internal organization
Comfortable shoulder straps
Padded back
Hidden CCW compartment

Cons

Poorly designed chest strap
Heavy empty weight at 3.84 lbs

Specs

Capacity 37 L / 2275 cubic inches

Weight 3.84 lbs

Concealed carry capable Hidden CCW compartment with loop panel

Best Value

Samurai Tactical Wakizashi

Pros

Good functionality
Adjustable sternum strap
MOLLE compatible webbing
Quick release shoulder straps

Cons

Lacks true clamshell design
No laptop sleeve
No hip belt

Specs

Capacity 24 L / 1464 cubic inches

Weight 2.2 lbs

Concealed carry capable No

Editor’s Choice

5.11 Tactical COVRT18 2.0

Pros

Low-key appearance
Outstanding organization and functionality
TSA-friendly rear laptop compartment
Dual side water bottle pockets
Durable and lightweight

Cons

Lacks yoked shoulder straps

Specs

Capacity 32 L / 1953 cubic inches

Weight 2.64 lbs

Concealed carry capable Dual-access CCW compartment with internal loop panel

Best Compact

5.11 Tactical RUSH 12 2.0

Pros

Outstanding interior organization
Well built of 1050 denier nylon
Hydration reservoir pouch
Side compression straps
Padded laptop compartment

Cons

Weight, heavy for size
No hip belt

Specs

Capacity 24 L / 1464 cubic inches

Weight 3.15 lbs

Concealed carry capable Yes

Best Urban Pack

Velomacchi 35L Giro

Pros

Low-key appearance, visually appealing
Waterproof and abrasion resistant
Quick access side pocket Magnetic roll top closure

Cons

Lacks clamshell design
Main compartment could be bigger
Lacks MOLLE webbing

Specs

Capacity 35 L / 2135 cubic inches

Weight 3.44 lbs

Concealed carry capable No

Best Range Bag

GPS Tactical Range Backpack

Pros

Excellent organizational capability
Heavy-duty teflon coated construction
Water resistant
Internal honey comb frame

Cons

Pistol cases tight for larger frame revolvers
Pistol cases lack labels for identification
Unnecessary hip belt

Specs

Capacity 3 pistols

Weight 6.15 lbs

Concealed carry capable Not applicable

Most Mysterious

Mystery Ranch 2 Day Assault Pack

Pros

Two zippered lid pockets
Easy access 3-zip design
Interior dump pockets
Adjustable yoke
Laptop and tablet sleeve pockets

Cons

Material not IR absorbing
Too small for true assault pack
Lacks velcro strap keepers
Not made in USA

Specs

Capacity 27 L / 1647 cubic inches

Weight 3 lbs

Concealed carry capable No

Honorable Mention

Direct Action Dragon Egg MK II Backpack

Pros

Durable 500D Cordura construction and YKK zippers
Ventilated back panel
Laptop compatible
Internal mesh hydration reservoir pocket

Cons

Seems a bit heavy for a 25L pack

Specs

Capacity 25 L / 1525 cubic inches

Weight 3.5 lbs

Concealed carry capable No

Why you should trust us

The active-duty and veteran gear reviewers here at Task & Purpose test the products we review at home and in the field. We have years of experience living and working outdoors with the tools we recommend. We don’t get paid by the manufacturers and have editorial independence. Our editor leaves it to us to recommend and prints what we write. All of this enables us to provide you, our valued readers, our unvarnished, honest opinions on the recommendations we make.

Types of tactical backpacks

There really isn’t a lot of variation in tactical backpacks, as most of them share a common family of features like large internal main compartments, hydration pockets, MOLLE-compatible webbing, Velcro for your patches, laptop pockets, and hidden CCW compartments The main differentiations are in size, capacity, quality of materials, ergonomics, and durability. We also especially like ones that come with hip belts.

Key features of tactical backpacks

Storage: The most important decision you’ll make when selecting a tactical backpack is capacity. Generally, these range from 20 to 55 liters. How big of a bag do you need? And remember, the larger the bag, the more crap you’ll put into it, and the heavier it will be — especially without a hip belt.

Straps: The best bags have cushy padded shoulder straps that prevent fatigue and pinched trapezius muscles. Hopefully, yours comes with a hip belt or has an attachment point for you to add one later to shift the load from your shoulders to your hips where it belongs.

MOLLE compatibility: If you work in the military or law enforcement field, the MOLLE attachment points come in handy for carrying additional gear. For carry in the civilian community, we prefer bags without MOLLE that lowers the profile.

Zippers: Look for high-quality zippers like YKK when you’re selecting a pack. Your bag won’t keep everything in if the zippers blow, and that really sucks when you’re in the field.

Material: Almost every tactical backpack is made of high denier nylon or polyester. In my opinion, many are overbuilt, so it’s worth checking the capacity vs. weight ratio. You’ll want to select a balance between ruggedness and weight.

Benefits of tactical backpacks

Organization

Most tactical backpacks are designed with pockets and compartments to enable you to organize your gear so you know where it is – that is if you put your gear in the same place every time (which we recommend). Doing so will help you find exactly what you are looking for quickly, especially in the dark. Most have a clamshell design that enables fast access and plenty of zippered and see-through mesh pockets for stowing and locating your stuff.

Durability

Let’s face it, military life is hard on gear, so it’s important that your tactical backpack is built to protect the equipment it carries and lasts for a long time. It sucks when your gear blows apart in the field and in some situations equipment failure can be life-threatening, so it is worth investing in durable gear. Tactical backpacks tend to be heavier than similarly sized backpacking or climbing packs. This is because they are usually made from reinforced polyester or abrasion and tear-resistant Cordura(™) nylon material. They’re made to withstand a higher degree of abuse and have additional padding to protect the gear stowed within the bag.

MOLLE compatibility

MOLLE is a military acronym for Modular Lightweight Load-Carrying Equipment – a system for attaching gear like magazine pouches, holsters, and first aid kits to other gear like plate carriers and backpacks. Being modular, it allows the user to customize the placement of individual equipment. It allows military members to attach additional carrying capacity to their packs and keep the things they need immediate access to handy on the exterior of their packs.

Pricing considerations for tactical backpacks

Value

Tactical backpacks are generally pretty affordable. You can find relatively inexpensive selections like the Samurai Tactical Wakizashi or SOG Ninja Tactical Daypack for less than $50 with the basic, most important features. At this price point, you might find a lot of familiar design features, but most manufacturers sacrifice the quality of materials and quality of construction to deliver at a low price point. Really check out the construction of these low-cost bags as there’s a lot of garbage on the market as well.

Mid-range

You can expect to pay between $80 and $150 or a mid-range tactical backpack in the 25 to 50 L capacity range. Within this price range exists myriad options, and we recommend making a list of your needs and desires before searching to help dial in your selection.

Premium

We consider any tactical backpack above $200 to be a premium pick. These packs typically feature more capacity, bells and whistles, and modularity than lower-priced packs. Many times, with premium packs, you are also paying for advanced materials that lower overall pack weight. Like most premium products, we’re not convinced the extra cost always delivers extra performance.

How we chose our top picks

All of the backpacks recommended in this review were hands-on field-tested by your trusty crew of Task & Purpose gear reviewers. We take our time to get to know the strengths and weaknesses of each backpack, and also check out the reviews of other experts just to make sure we’re not missing anything. Where we see something interesting that we haven’t field-tested, we identify these products as honorable mentions that are worth a look.

FAQs on tactical backpacks

You’ve got questions, Task & Purpose has answers.

Q. What should go in a tactical backpack?

A: This really depends on the mission. Common items are extra ammunition, water, a first aid kit, food, personal hygiene items, a hardshell jacket, a warming layer, a headlamp, communication devices, maps, pens, GPS, and other mission-specific tools. Depending on the length of the mission, you might also consider a lightweight blanket, extra clothing, and shelter.

Q. What are the loops for on tactical backpacks?

A: The loops serve two purposes: 1) to attach other small pouches to expand the carrying capacity of the pack, and 2) to provide a place to attach immediately accessible items.